1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to attachment devices, and more specifically to a flexible, rubber-like multi-gauge attachment device that uses tying or other strapping means for mounting objects supported by posts, like pinwheels onto any tubular part of the frames of bicycles, bicycle trailers, scooters, wheelchairs, strollers and other vehicles and products with tubular components.
2. Prior Art
Previously, it has been difficult for children to effectively mount pinwheels or flags for fun on their bikes, tricycles and scooters and likewise for their parents for more safety-related reasons. The prevailing method for years has been either adhesive tape or rubber bands but neither of these methods look or more importantly work particularly well, due to the constant wind pressure they are under.
Attachment devices designed to hold flags next to bicycles and bicycle trailers also have their problems and limitations which is probably why children haven't adopted them for mini-flags or pinwheels. They are designed to support tall flag shafts in a vertical position close to the trailer's frame or body. As a result, it's difficult for children to stick pinwheels in these devices because most pinwheels have sticks shorter than 16 inches and petals wider than 5 inches. Both of these together mean the pinwheel's vanes will tend to hit either the spokes or the body of the trailer and not spin smoothly and efficiently. Moreover, they are also not designed to hold the flag shafts sideways, i.e. horizontally and perpendicularly away from the trailer body or tubing.
Attachment devices for holding flashlights onto bicycle handlebars have their problems and limitations. Firstly, they are not designed to hold pinwheel sticks which are much narrower than flashlights nor attach to larger or narrower than handlebar tubing, such as the frame that typically attaches to the rear wheel's axle. Additionally, even if they could be jury-rigged to accommodate a narrower pinwheel post, they are not designed to hold it sideways, i.e. facing horizontally and perpendicularly away from the frame, another limitation as there is only so much tubing on bicycles and tricycles that can accommodate a vertical oriented pinwheel or flag.
Previously, there have been some inventions to pair up the pinwheel concept to bicycles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,535 issued Dec. 3, 1976 to Harold Slaughter, discloses a device for attaching a pinwheel type safety device to bicycles. It appears to attach though only to bicycle fenders, and by means of a short screw and nut. This requires drilling a hole through the fender and securing it with a nut underneath. It takes great care and is time consuming to drill a hole and secure a nut to a curved fender closely positioned above an easily punctured tire. The alternative would also seem to be tricky and time consuming; i.e., dismantling the fender, drilling a hole on a curved piece of metal, securing the device on with the nut, and putting it all back together again. If we grant this device a longer screw that would allow it to also attach to a bicycle's or scooter's frame and/or handlebar, then drilling through tubing, typically thicker and more curved than fenders, becomes even more troublesome. Another disadvantage is that it in addition to a standard pinwheel, it has an extra part, a shroud meant to “protect” people from injury due to the pinwheel's petals and meant to protect the pinwheel from the “blowing garment” of the rider. This extra part makes it more expensive to manufacture and thus to purchase. Finally, it is not designed to allow children to be able to put their own pinwheels heads or flags shafts into it.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,718, issued Nov. 7, 1994 to Tien-Chu Cheng, also involves an extra part, a rim around its pinwheel, making it more expensive to manufacture and thus to purchase. It too requires drilling through tubing but because of its inflexible ring, drilling through tubing of only one size.
Another kind of attachment device, this one for holding sunglasses onto bicycles has its problems. U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,258, issued Mar. 27, 2001 to Michael Calder discloses such a device where the aperture through which one of the sunglass wands passes through is not only too wide to securely hold a narrow pinwheel stick upright under constant wind pressure but additionally the clip inside this aperture has a small contact surface, is soft rubber and similarly not designed to secure anything under much pressure. This is because the sunglasses are folded in an upside down V over the edge of the aperture and gravity for the most part does the rest, with the clip minimizing side to side movement. There is also a disadvantage to this sunglass carrier's attachment device, its built-in cable tie molded as a part of the carrier device. If like most cable ties, once pulled and tightened it can't be untightened without being cut, then this type of attachment device has a one-use only application and can't be reattached elsewhere. If its built-tab, as shown but not clarified in the patent, releases the cable tie without its being cut, then it lends itself to easily being stolen.